1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to four wheeled carts, and more particularly to a cart having multiple functions, including: being selectively double decked, being variable in width, being convertible into a creeper and being convertible into a wheeled drip pan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Carts are well known in the prior art for purposes of holding articles for wheeled transport. Typically, a cart (or wagon and the like) is composed of a flat bed for supporting the articles, a railing around the perimeter of the bed for retaining the articles upon the bed, a set of four wheels connected with the bottom side of the bed, and a handle with which to pull and steer the cart.
While carts are useful as they are conventionally configured, they do not afford convertibility to other functional situations, such as conversion from an articles conveyance device to an automobile mechanic's creeper, nor do they afford adaptability to changing use conditions, such as being able to selectively adjust the usable bed area to suit varying cargoes.
An example of a prior art cart having some degree of adaptability is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,909, to Kirkendall, dated Jan. 10, 1989. In this cart, the bed is selectively expansible between the front and rear wheels in order to accommodate differing cargoes.
Another example of a prior art cart having some degree of adaptability is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,404 to Burskey, dated Sep. 20, 1955. In this cart, which is composed of a frame-like structure, is longitudinally expansible between the front and rear wheels also to accommodate differing cargoes.
These prior art carts suffer from the fact that they are extensible only from front to back, thereby increasing the length when in the extended configuration. What would have been better would be to increase the width, as this affords a more compact over-all size of the cart when the cart is in an extended configuration.
An example of a mechanic's creeper is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,116 to Bowers, dated Oct. 5, 1976. In this creeper, two outer panels fold about a middle panel which permits the creeper to be easily and compactly stored for emergency use in connection with a vehicle.
Accordingly, what is needed is a cart which is truly adaptable to many differing conditions of use, thereby providing an extremely high level of utility for the user.